To the editor: Gustavo Arellano writes that Ysabel Jurado, the council member-elect for L.A.’s 14th District, shouldn’t be Latina. He says she is the “first L.A. council member of Filipino heritage.” (“Ysabel Jurado vanquished Kevin de León. Will winning change her?” column, Nov. 14)
However being Latin is a tradition, a heritage, a lifestyle.
The Philippines was a colony of Spain for 377 years, from 1521-1898. That’s many extra years than Mexico was beneath Spain. Moreover, the Philippines was even beneath the administration of “New Spain,” which was Mexico.
Filipinos don’t communicate Spanish as a result of the Catholic Church was unable to implement a number of makes an attempt by the Spanish crown to show Filipinos its language. As a substitute, the Catholic monks studied and discovered the native dialects and have become the interpreters between the Spanish civil authorities and the Filipinos.
By tradition, custom, heritage, faith and lifestyle, Filipinos are Latin, no completely different from Latin People — besides we stored our language.
Rogelio De Leon Pena, Montebello
